Hard times, soft grace

September 2016 Our cover story this month deals with a subject that can give comfort and hope to all those enduring challenges. We look at the relationship between karma and grace. If all is determined by the iron hand of karma, what is the role that grace plays in our lives? Here is your answer: When karma visits, so does grace. We are never alone with our problems and difficulties. Grace leavens our every challenge by equipping us with the strength to bear it, by sending us people and circumstances that support us, and by helping us overcome the challenge and emerge triumphant. The message is clear. The benevolent Creator wants nothing more than for us to succeed in our trials, and therefore move one more notch towards uniting with Him. Could we really ask for more? Perhaps an examination of your own life will bear testimony to this truth. We also have a special feature on the concept of the wounded healer. There is sufficient evidence to prove that the best psychologists and therapists are those who have encountered depression and other mental and emotional malaises themselves. Through their own felt experiences, and the wisdom imparted, these people subsequently went on to become extraordinarily compassionate and skilled healers. Similarly, those who undergo physical suffering and discomfort, also find that their experience sharpens their empathy and makes them much more committed to heal the misery of their patients. We also have an interview with an enlightened guru, Sri Tathata from Palakkad, Kerala, and an exploration of the ashram, Fireflies, on the outskirts of Bangalore. Enjoy the issue and let us know what you think of it. Have a great month. Suma Varughese is a thinker, writer, and Editor-in-Chief of Life Positive. She also holds writer’s workshops. Write to her at suma@lifepositive.net